Wednesday Before Thanksgiving=Big Travel Day

Not only is it turkey time, it's also time for the biggest travel day of the year! The Port Authority expects 5 million people to pass through airports, bridges, tunnels and the PATH from today till Sunday. And some people even hit the road in the wee hours today, to beat traffic. That's wild - do you have elaborate schemes to get to your Thanksgiving?

Transportation officials hope travelers have some more patience during one of the most harrowing travel times of the year. Yes, you need patience and nerves of steel. Remember - there's always leftover turkey, so there's no huge rush.

Bonus fun: Wendy's PR agency helpfully let us know about the fast food chain's special Thanksgiving weekend promotion for anyone with an airplane seat in the middle: A $1 gift card towards a Double Melt Hamburger - "pepper jack cheese, cheddar sauce, bacon and jalapeños between two patties." So, if the guy or gal sitting in the middle seat is passed out and totally gassy, you'll have a hunch as to why.

Photograph of travelers at Penn Station this morning by Mark Lennihan/AP

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By Jen Chung in News on November 22, 2006 9:19 AM

Comments [rss]

anonymass

Bob, at a busier time of day I'd agree with your suggestion, but I doubt that LGA is going to be too crowded at 4am.

kevin bracken

Surprisingly, LGA was literally empty today when I arrived. Maybe everybody planned better than I this year?

bob

1 hour and a half is cutting it close. I'd go for two. I travelled a couple weeks ago from JFK and it took an hour just to go through Jet Blue security because of the new liquids ban.

anonymass

Travel on Thanksgiving day is traditionally slow, but this year will be busier than last.

If you're traveling domestically, you'd want to be at the airport an hour and a half prior to your flight just to be safe.

Stevennnn

what a bargain $1 gift cards how much fun.

come on $1!? whippe

Phil

My elaborate scheme to get to my Thanksgiving is to roll out of bed and put the turkey in the oven. I learned several years ago that trying to get out of this town for Thanksgiving isn't worth my trouble, especially since I'm going to see my relatives next month at Christmas. So I'm hosting dinner at my apartment for some friends. It's not the same as dinner with my family, but I avoid all the stress of holiday travel and the city is a little quieter with so many people out of town for the weekend.

Jeff

I'm leaving at 5:40 AM (!!!) from LaGuardia tomorrow morning. How early do you think I need to show up? Is travel on Thanksgiving day busy or slow?